The present disclosure relates in general to connected vehicles. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to methods, systems and computer program products for pre-fetching data in order to allow an in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system of a connected vehicle to provide uninterrupted data streams when the vehicle travels through a dead zone of a route.
Connected vehicles typically included IVI systems having the capability deliver internet-based entertainment and information content inside the vehicle. IVI systems frequently utilize Bluetooth technology, Wi-Fi technology, cellular connectivity, and/or smartphones to help drivers/users control the system with voice commands, touch-screen inputs or physical controls. Typical tasks performed by IVI systems include managing and playing audio content, utilizing navigation systems for driving, delivering rear-seat entertainment such as movies, games, social networking, etc., delivering incoming and sending outgoing SMS text messages, making phone calls, and accessing internet-enabled or smartphone-enabled content such as traffic conditions, sports scores and weather forecasts.
Poor quality network connectivity negatively impacts a user's online experience, particularly for streaming content. A connected vehicle traveling on a given route will pass through areas having varying connectivity. For example, when a connected vehicle moves through edges of cell towers, tunnels, mountain areas, and the like, the internet carrier signal strength received at the vehicle degrades significantly.